Food aid commodities in store are particularly vulnerable to attack by insects, rodents, and to a lesser extent by birds.

Pest infestation compromises the characteristics and self-life of commodities. It can impact the safety of food products via the trasmission of zoonotic diseases (e.g.leptospirosis from rodent urine or droppings). Pests can damage packaging materials (holes, gnawing, chewing) and result in major losses of food that is eaten, spoiled or contaminated by them. Moreover, pests may provoke severe damages at the warehousepremises. For example, they may cause fire hazards by gnawing of the electrical wires.

How to manage pests?

Apply basic principles of Warehouse Management and make sure that you:

Maintain hygiene to avoid harbourage

Remove dirt and food residue

Cover openings

Dispose garbage in metal dustbins

Use traps

Check regularly for signs of infestation

Store layout and stock rotation (First-In, First-Out) are critical in avoiding cross-infestation of the stored goods.